(no headline)

by NoneMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 7:00 pm, Friday, April 9, 2010

By Dwight Silverman

Houston Chronicle

If you weren't standing in a line outside an Apple store, or watching anxiously for the UPS man to deliver your pre-ordered iPad, you may still be intrigued enough to think: Is this something on which I want to drop at least $500?

I've been living with an iPad for a few days, and to help you decide, I've distilled my experience with the tablet down to three reasons to buy now, three reasons to walk away and three reasons to wait a while.

— Why you should buy an iPad.

— It's the best tablet

With its stylish design, easy-to-navigate interface and zippy performance, it kicks previous attempts at tablet computing to the curb. That's because Apple has designed its software from scratch to be controlled via touch, rather than retrofitting a desktop operating system. Combined with the fast processor Apple designed for the iPad, the interface moves fluidly under your fingertips. And the aluminum case, with its gently curved back and hard edges, adds to this natural feel.

— It's great for media

The iPad makes it a joy to read books, play games, listen to music or watch video. It's designed as a media-consumption device. For example, one of the best iPad apps is the one from Netflix, which — if you have an account with the video service — will let you stream movies over the tablet's 802.11n Wi-Fi connection. Apple's own iBooks e-book reader app looks like a physical book, complete with page-turning animation and a two-page layout if you turn the iPad on its side.

— It's all about the apps

Although the iPad has only been available for a few days, there already are several thousand apps designed for it, and developers are taking advantage of the extra screen real estate to do some impressive things. For example, check out the Weather Channel's very cool iPad app, which puts on one screen details that required multiple screens on the iPhone version.

— Why you should not buy an iPad

— It's expensive

Apple may call the $500 starting price "unbelievable," but that's still a serious chunk of change for most people. And, that's just for the iPad with 16-gigabytes of memory. Each jump — to 32- and then 64-GB — adds another $100.

And if you want an iPad that connects to AT&aT's 3G network (available later in April), add another $130 to each model. Then you'll be paying additional charges to access that network. Finally, the apps for the iPad generally are more expensive than their iPhone counterparts.

— You may not need it

Do you already have a smartphone and a notebook computer? The iPad may duplicate either of these devices. For example, if you're thinking about replacing a notebook, keep in mind that it can't print, lacks a physical keyboard (though you can pay another $69 for a docked or Bluetooth keyboard) and it can't run more than one non-Apple program at time.

— It's a closed system

Like the iPhone, the only apps you can put on your iPad are those approved by Apple. The software for the iPad is subject to the same screening process used for iPhone apps, which has been criticized for being inconsistent and sluggish.The good news: iPad apps seem to be getting expedited approvals. I've already seen updates to titles that were available when the device went on sale.

— Why you might wait

— It's missing key features

I've already mentioned some iPad limitations above, including its lack of multitasking. Also MIA: a still or video camera and the ability to sync via Wi-Fi. It requires a USB cable to transfer movies, music, contact, photos and other data. Finally, it doesn't support Flash, Adobe's ubiquitous platform that makes many Web-based applications and video possible. With the exception of Flash, these could appear in a future software update.

— It's a 1.0 product

Common tech wisdom says never buy the first generation of a new device. If you wait for iPad 2.0, you're apt to get more features and a more refined tablet for the same or less money.

— Other tablets are coming

Apple's innovations inspire other companies to imitate. There's little doubt that, if the iPad is a success, you'll see other computer makers borrowing its ideas. In fact, many new tablets have already been announced, including the Windows 7-based Slate coming later this year from HP. More choices come to those who wait.